My Dad very kindly treated us to a stay at the Celtic Manor on Boxing Night and some of you were keen for a review! So here goes…

Check In 🏨 Officially it’s 4pm but you’re allowed on site to use the facilities earlier – Chris and Bea went swimming (must be booked, two sessions allowed per person) and I met them at 3pm. Asked if our room was ready and thankfully it was so we had our room an hour extra – so definitely worth asking!

The Room 🛌 We needed a bed for Madame so had the Deluxe King w/ Sofa Bed. And what a lovely room it was 😍 Our bed was ginormous and super comfortable, B’s sofa bed already made up for us. Robes for Chris and I hanging in the (sizeable) wardrobe plus plenty of spare hangers (and a hairdryer).

Massive bathroom with bath, separate shower and Elemis toiletries. The minibar is empty so if you’ve brought your own drinks you can pop them in there to chill and there are wine glasses and an ice bucket in the room (which can be filled using one of the machines outside of the room). TV has all the usual freeview channels you’d expect. We were on the 8th floor so had great balcony views and you could look down into the foyer!

Facilities 🏋️ An overnight stay includes use of the Forum Health Club which is within the main resort hotel. If you’re so inclined you can use the gym without any restrictions/booking required but it’s 45 mins per session for the two swimming sessions. You can also use the pool up at ‘Dylan’s’ on the golf course. Mr E.E preferred that one whilst B preferred the on site pool, but they’re both good. We didn’t use the spa this time, but I visited two years ago for a massage and it was blissful, so would happily recommend. (Unless anyone who has been more recently can tell me otherwise?!) It’s also worth noting there’s a small ‘Shopping Mall’ so if you’ve forgotten any items of clothing, toiletries, want to buy a gift or get your hair done, you’ll be covered. (Expect to pay a premium price for the convenience though).

Dinner 🍽️ Our package included a £30pp food allowance for adults (not children) and we chose Rafters, a single AA rosette restaurant situated on the golf course. This requires a minibus to get to it, which was no problem on the way there but a bit of a nightmare on the way back (more later).

If we’d wanted to stay within the resort hotel we’d have had to dine in the Olive Tree but I had an evening meal there years ago which wasn’t great so haven’t been keen to return! There is also Steak on Six, which has 2 AA rosettes but sadly doesn’t permit children so wasn’t an option for us. (There is also The Grill restaurant elsewhere on the golf course but we didn’t consider as no available time slots).

There’s a focus on Welsh produce at Rafters which naturally I love. It was actually my second time eating here having visited with my mum a few years ago! B had the penne bolognese and Mr E.E and I may have just been hungry but we both thought it was delicious – it was also a huge portion, so worth the £8.50.

I had the steak, Mr E.E and my Dad had the lamb and my cousin had the ‘surf and turf’ linguine. My sirloin was cooked to my liking (medium) and served with fat chips and a tomato.

Thoroughly enjoyed, the only thing that let it down was the pepper corn sauce was far too thin for my liking! Speaking with my fellow diners there were no complaints, the pasta was noticeably a much bigger portioned dish than the lamb but that’s likely a sign of the times.

For dessert Bea had the kids brownie and ice cream, I had a glass of Prosecco (hey it’s Christmas 🤷🏼‍♀️) my dad had a spiced apple and ginger pudding and ‘the lads’ (😆) had a Merlyn Bavarois.

The bavarois was meant to be served with caramelised banana but both agreed it didn’t look or taste in anyway caramelised, which they said didn’t affect the taste (it was wolfed down) but was still not what was promised.

Upon finishing desserts I asked for the bill and for a call to be put into the minibus… When the bill appeared I mentioned our dinner allowance and the lady serving us sought help from a colleague, who said they’d have to process it at the resort reception. I queried upon leaving with a 3rd member of staff how long it would take to be on the system as I’d like to sort immediately, and he said actually they could sort it there it would just take some time. (So seemingly the two previous members of staff could have sorted it but hadn’t wanted to).

When he finished processing the bill I checked how much longer til the minibus his colleague had called for us… and he said he wasn’t sure but he’d call again. The bus didn’t turn up until thirty minutes after I’d made the initial request 😩 which was not ideal when you have a 4 year old who is ready for bed! The bill (before taking off the £120 allowance) was £235 inc service for four adult mains, a side dish of bread and veg, three adult desserts, one child’s main and dessert, a bottle of Pinot Grigio blush, coke and a tea.

Breakfast 🍳 This is served in the aforementioned Olive Tree. I noted some guests were shown to tables, but it was busy when Bea and I arrived (we’d booked for 9.45) so we were just sent in a general direction… where there were none 😅 So I grabbed (figuratively) a member of staff to help us find somewhere. It’s a self service affair with stations dotted around with a variety of treats.

First stop for us were the pancakes, which we had with heaps of chocolate spreads. Next to these were smoked salmon, cold meats and cheeses, and a table full of fruit. We went to the hot counter next… You’ll find thick cut bacon, fried eggs, sausages, beans, mushrooms, some type of potato dish… But if you want toast it needs to be requested from the pastry section as the toaster that’s out is gluten free. The pastries were the highlight for me – Bea and I shared an incredible pain au chocolat.

This was certainly an interesting spot for people watching… Some guests were in their pyjamas, slippers and dressing gowns (the ones from home) whilst others were dressed in their high heels. The Welsh Grand National was due to start a few hours later over in Chepstow and I have a feeling this may have had something to do with it…

For Kids 👧🏻 The hotel is decorated absolutely beautifully for Christmas, the central tree surrounded by a wondrous train set captured Bea as soon as she walked through the front door. Every time we walked past she spotted something new. Over the festive period there were a number of bookable paid for activities (festive pottery painting, crafts) but there are also free activities you can just turn up for (an elf treasure hunt, the adventure playground and woodland walks). There’s also a ‘hideout room’ near the Forum Club with a drawing station, Lego station, giant four in a row game, air hockey and pool table, the latter two requiring tokens which can be purchased. You could also head to the ICC next door to go ice skating or watch the latest show – this Christmas it was Cinderella on Ice and hotel guests receive £10 off per person. Or hit the ropes – there’s a go ape style ‘Forest Jump High Ropes’ course (also for an additional fee).

Parking 🚘 Underground parking is around double the cost of parking outside and walking or getting the minibus to the resort hotel. (£20 v £10).

Drinks 🍷 There are a number of options if you want to grab a drink at the hotel. The main bar is Merlin’s, and they have live music every evening. There is also the more exclusive (smart casual dress code) Mulberry Bar for an adults only experience and a selection of ‘sports bars’ at the clubhouses. I also spotted lots of bubbly down in the Forum Cafe (plus coffee, tea, cakes and even a vegan brownie which we tried). If you just fancy a coffee to go there is a kiosk just before the entrance to the ‘mall’.

Parking 🚘 Underground parking is around double the cost of parking outside and walking or getting the minibus to the resort hotel. (£20 v £10).

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed. There were some ‘hiccups’ but the main thing was that it was Christmas, and we were together, and this was a lovely venue to do that in.

Thanks for reading. Hope you’ve had a lovely Christmas with your family and wishing you a very happy new year!

Lizzie xx